When a police officer suspects that you are driving drunk, they have the authority to pull you over. When they do so, they will tell you why you were stopped. You will be given a breathalyzer test, and in some cases, you may have to undergo field sobriety tests. If your blood alcohol level is 0.08 or greater, you will be arrested for DUI and taken to jail. This is just the beginning of what can happen when you drive when you’re drunk.
If you refuse the breathalyzer test, your license would automatically be suspended for 6 months, and your car will be impounded. In order to get your license back, you may need to enroll in the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP). Keep in mind that all the expenses that incur for these things will be on your head.
If you did offer to take the breathalyzer test and your blood alcohol level is 0.15 or greater, again your license will be suspended, and the court will ask you to participate in the ADSAP.
Here are some tips on what you should do if any of this happens to you:
Your vehicle is impounded: In South Carolina, if you are arrested for a DUI on public roads, your car will be towed away. To get your car back, you will have to pay an administrative fee and the impound rates which are calculated on a daily basis. If you are in jail, you should ask somebody to get your car out of the impound, otherwise, you will be facing a huge bill when you come out of jail. If your license is suspended, you MUST NOT drive otherwise you can complicate matters. Before you rush to the towing company, call them first and determine what papers you need to bring and the amount of money that you will have to pay. These impound companies all have their own rules so make sure you know and understand the procedure.
Your DUI Ticket: When you are arrested for a DUI, you will be given a citation, and the arresting officer will verbally tell you when your court date is. It is very important that you read the ticket thoroughly so that you know exactly when you need to be in court and at what time. If you are late or if you miss the court date, you will automatically be found guilty. In addition, read everything that the officer wrote so that when you come to court, you and your DUI lawyer are prepared. Finally, make sure that if you took the breathalyzer test, the officer has ticked the box. Otherwise, the court will assume you refused the test, and you risk license suspension for six months.
Once you are taken to jail, ask for the bail requirements and how much money was set as bail. You need to know what that amount is, whether you can afford it and what could happen if you do not have the money for your bail.
Remember when you are released, you cannot leave the state until your case has been heard in court. The bail form will tell you when you have to come to court and what time to answer the charges filed against you. It will also tell you about all the other restrictions.
If all this sounds confusing, well, it is. This is the reality of a DUI arrest. It is not easy to handle. To help fight the case or have the charges reduced and not get into any more legal hassles, the best thing you can do is to seek advice from a DUI lawyer. Time is of importance as your DUI attorney will need to prepare your case.
Contact a DUI Lawyer at The Bateman Law Firm
If you were caught driving drunk in Spartanburg, SC, you should talk to a DUI lawyer at The Bateman Law Firm. There are some things that you should do immediately, or have someone do them for you. You need to be prepared. And you need to provide your DUI attorney as much information as possible. Call our DUI lawyers at The Bateman Law Firm so that they can discuss the details of your case and let you know what they can do to reduce your charges or get the charges dropped altogether. Call now and let our DUI attorneys help you.